Simon Baker Has His Head In The Game

From "The Guardian" to "The Devil Wears Prada," Simon Baker has found great success on the big and small screen.

His latest success is with the CBS hit show "The Mentalist," the most successful new series of the TV season. He plays Patrick Jane, an independent consultant with the California Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

While visiting New York, he toured the city with his three children.

"Well, I leave this evening. But, yesterday, we had a very fun-filled New York day. We went for a walk through the park and went ice skating and went to the Natural History Museum and then to the top of the Empire State Building and then we went downtown and had some pizza," Baker told Early Show co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez.

According to Rodriguez, 16 million viewers a week tune in to CBS' "The Mentalist."

"The numbers are hard to get your head around, but it feels very good to go to the set every day and to work amongst a great crew and they all know that the show is being watched by people. There's a good buzz on the set," he said.

Baker's character's strength is that he is very perceptive.

"Well, you know, when I signed up for this job, people always ask me 'OK, well what is his skill, what is his power?' And the interesting thing is he doesn't have a power. Psychics have powers, alleged powers. He's a mentalist so he has honed skills and techniques -- acute observation, apparently, awareness. So, he reads people. A lot of rapport building and mirroring and suggestion. So, he uses those skills to that and a lot of good old fashioned guesswork to help solve crimes," Baker said.

There has been a lot of buzz around Baker's character and his looks. He was named one of People's "Sexiest Men Alive."

"It's a little early for this. The fire is a little hot over there," Baker said while blushing.

Baker's co-star Robin Tunney (who plays Teresa Lisbon) teases him about being a heartthrob.

"She does. She teases me about pretty much everything, but it's all in good fun," he said.

Rodriguez further inquired about Baker's thoughts on the "label."

"Well, first of all, I can't look at it like a label because I'm already sort of product-like, so I don't want to make myself a complete product. I'm flattered, you know? It's related to my hair. I have to thank my gene pool. There's not much else I can do, really. It's nothing I really did," he said.

"The Mentalist" airs on CBS at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on Tuesdays.